Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Capsule Review: The Brian Waite Band

I have a stack of children’s music CDs to review. I’m chagrined to say that by now, none of them are new releases. Still, maybe I can do some good by writing capsule reviews.

I’ll start off with The Brian Waite Band's concept album, 20,000 Volts Under the Sea. The songs chart the story of the band’s journey to Atlantis City to play at the Neptune Theater, but are almost foiled by the machinations of Disco Don. The album itself is a homage to the seventies and early eighties music of various power-guitar rock bands, plus reggae, funk, disco, blues, and the requisite Elvis tribute. Much of the humor has arch references that mainly grownups who grew up in those decades will understand, especially in the “audiobook” at the end (with a narrator’s voice that sounds suspiciously like an impersonation of Greg Paige of The Wiggles. I initially wondered about the CD’s accessibility for children, but the more I listen to it, the more both my daughter and I enjoy it. We both agree that the songs are well-written and fun to listen to, but don’t care for the surfeit of silly voices. Favorite songs include the Queen-esque “Get Down,” and the hair-band anthem “Tidal Pool Party.” Warning: regardless of how you feel about the song “Disco Don,” it’s an earworm that will follow you and haunt your dreams.

Who I’d recommend this album to: fans of Eric Herman, Recess Monkey, plus my guitar teacher and my younger brother (who doesn't have a website). I'd recommend the album to El Jope Magnifico too, but I wonder if that's just a ploy of mine to get him to bring his daughter to the concert next Tuesday, July 20, at the Douglas-Truth Branch of The Seattle Public Library. It's on a workday morning, but rock and roll often plays at unruly hours.